· Up Brush Creek Road · 12 Miles from Aspen ·
Snowmass Village.
A larger ski mountain than Aspen itself, a quieter base village, a five-star Jean-Michel Gathy resort, and a dining scene that has matured fast.
A larger ski mountain than Aspen itself, a quieter base village, a five-star Jean-Michel Gathy resort, and a dining scene that has matured fast.
Twelve miles up Brush Creek Road from Aspen, Snowmass Village is the second half of the Aspen Snowmass story. A larger ski mountain than Aspen itself, a quieter base village that has just finished a long build-out, a hotel set running from a five-star Viceroy resort to a slopeside condo collection, and a dining scene that has matured fast in the past few years.
For the visitor: Snowmass is the place to land if you want skiing-first energy with the dining to back it up. For the local: it's where the season actually feels long.
Sixteen rooms — the slopeside flagships, the village core regulars, the new ownership groups that have moved in over the past two years, the on-mountain spots only reachable by lift, and the highest bowling alley in the country.
Refined seasonal New American cuisine in an elegantly casual atmosphere — in the heart of Snowmass Base Village. Slopeside dining, a fire-pit patio, an intimate dining room, and a private dining space for groups up to sixteen.
Closed for spring; returns Friday, June 5 for the summer season.
Chef Richard Sandoval's contemporary Latin American and Asian fusion room at the Viceroy. After seven years in business, TORO reopened this winter with a full aesthetic overhaul — the team describes the new room as "elegant and luxurious jungle." Originals stay (the TORO Bison Burger, the Mercado Margarita) and a new "suviche" sushi-and-ceviche bar joins the menu.
Two private dining rooms. Open daily — breakfast 7–10:30am, dinner 5–9pm.
The lobby-bar-as-living-room of the Limelight Hotel — wood-fired pizzas, garden-fresh salads, and creative locally sourced entrees with international touches. Live music on rotation, a fireplace, the kind of room that fills early and stays full.
Veuve Clicquot happy hour Fridays 3–5pm. The Limelight Snowmass mirrors the format of its Aspen sibling — both run with the same easy après-ski character.
Contemporary American in a relaxed alpine atmosphere — a steakhouse fusion that runs from stacked pancakes at breakfast through kid-friendly bites to a sizzling steak dinner. Slopeside, fresh, seasonally focused, locally sourced. The all-day Snowmass dining room.
Snowmass Village's iconic Italian — more than thirty-five years of handmade pastas, hand-rolled pizzas with thin, crispy crusts, antipasti like burrata with roasted tomatoes and carpaccio di manzo, and pasta like tagliatelle with wild boar ragù or gnocchi with pesto. Exposed beams, a cozy fireplace, the room you book for the anniversary or the group.
Took over the former Slow Groovin' Chophouse space in 2023 — a casual room with live music and one of the better value-for-money plays in either Aspen or Snowmass. The pulled pork sandwich is the order; sweet potato fries the side. Burgers, pizza, and a $130 tomahawk steak that feeds a family of four. Foosball, pool tables, full bar, both indoor and outdoor stages.
The Snowmass extension of Heather's, the beloved Basalt restaurant — built on the chicken pot pies that founder Heather Lujan, a self-taught cook, started making for her own family. The menu has range: chicken marsala, grilled artichokes, the eponymous savory pies. Live music Wednesday through Saturday, plus the occasional magic show.
Sister restaurant to Basalt's beloved Hominy Southern Kitchen, opened in the former Big Hoss Grill space at Snowmass Mall after a comprehensive renovation. The name plays on island cuisine and on the notorious double-black ski run of the same name on Snowmass.
Bright beach-house dining room, a custom stage built for live music, and — crucially — open until 1am, filling a long-standing void in Snowmass for late-night dining. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, seven days a week.
Mostly European fare in the Timberline Ski Lodging — German classics like schnitzel, a Swiss-style fondue program, mussels in several preparations from saffron-tomato cream to classic French moules marinière. The standout reason to come: a $25 happy hour deal that pairs your choice of burger, sandwich, or hot dog with a shot of whiskey and a domestic beer.
Chef Richard Sandoval's pub-style Mexican in the village center. The outdoor patio runs packed in the afternoon, watching skiers cruise up the Skittles Lift while the bar pours skinny margaritas and house variations. Queso fundido, carne asada fries, carnitas sliders, and the cajeta-filled churros — fried pastry with caramel — that anchor the dessert menu.
The Snowmass outpost of Aspen's longtime favorite Kenichi, opened ahead of the 2021/22 ski season. Contemporary Asian and world-class sushi in a lively, energetic room — extensive menu, daily specials, and one of the largest sake lists in the country. A private Tatami room handles larger groups. Walk-ins welcome at the bar, the sushi counter, and the lounge.
A recently opened 1970s-inspired retro ski lodge — wood, warmth, and nostalgic charm with a pool table and a working fireplace. The food and cocktail menu is the hangout kind: comforting plates, classic drinks, and the bar that turns into the room you stay at after dinner.
The highest bowling alley in the United States — at 8,209 feet of elevation in the lower level of Snowmass Mall, just below Venga Venga. Six boutique bowling lanes with cushy leather couches, professional billiard and foosball tables, dart board, and 300-inch projection screens. Luxury, modern interior — not your traditional bowling alley.
The kitchen is the real story: hand-tossed, award-winning wood-fired pizza, 100% Angus burgers with house-made secret sauce, and a serious cocktail program (the lemon basil martini and the espresso martini both have a following). All lanes have kid bumpers and a fleet of balls and shoes for the whole family. Open daily 4:30pm to close.
Formerly the Lynn Britt Cabin — mid-mountain off Velvet Falls, accessible only by ski. Has grown into a vibrant gathering place over the years for those looking to huddle by the fireside and listen to music. Newly expanded deck spaces, improved amenities, and a new DJ booth this season. Aspen Skiing Company keeps reinvesting in it.
On-mountain BBQ at Snowmass — the lunchtime stop with smoked meats, classic sides, and the patio view across the valley that makes the meal worth the lift ride alone. A staple of the Snowmass mountain dining set.
Reachable by gondola — frequently called the best on-mountain café-style restaurant in either Aspen or Snowmass. Hot pot pies, fresh-made crepes, fried Brussels sprouts with tahini and pomegranate. Nice food, good coffee, friendly staff. The kind of stop that turns a mid-day break into a longer one.
Snowmass has more than three thousand acres of skiable terrain — the largest in the four-mountain Aspen Snowmass set. The lift system runs longer, the runs hold their corduroy further into the morning, and the village wakes up later than downtown Aspen. For a week-long visit that's mostly about skiing, sleep here and visit Aspen for dinners.
Six options — from the only true five-star ski-in/ski-out resort to the slopeside condo collection with private club access. The full set runs the gamut.
The crown jewel of Snowmass Village. The only true ski-in/ski-out luxury resort on the mountain — designed by Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston International, named the #1 Resort Hotel in Colorado in the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2021. 173 rooms, suites, and residences from studios to four-bedroom penthouses, with gas fireplaces, full kitchens in many units, and private sundecks in select residences.
A 7,000-square-foot spa with a holistic wellness program — therapies inspired by Indigenous peoples of the area alongside contemporary beauty rituals. Outdoor pool with terrace. On-site dining: TORO Snowmass (Latin-Asian), Nest Bar & Grill (slopeside/poolside casual), Café V (on-the-go).
99 rooms and 11 residences in the heart of Snowmass Base Village, with ski-in/ski-out access, two outdoor heated spa pools with cabanas and a fireplace, and a complimentary breakfast buffet (eggs, bacon, coffee, baked goods, granola, yogurt, fruit) included with every stay.
The signature touches: a five-story indoor climbing wall in the lobby with three self-belay routes from beginner to advanced; a kids' arcade/game room; pet-friendly with in-room dog beds and water bowls; complimentary e-bikes in summer; an Audi Experience program (test drive a Q6 e-tron or Q7); free airport shuttle. The Lounge runs the après scene with live entertainment year-round.
The largest slopeside hotel in Snowmass — formerly the Westin Snowmass, now reimagined as Viewline Resort under Marriott's Autograph Collection following a $40 million renovation. 254 rooms, ski-in/ski-out access, an outdoor pool, a 24-hour gym, free airport shuttle, and pet-friendly policies including an off-leash area.
Houses Stark's Alpine Grill (see Restaurants) for all-day dining. The "soft flag" Autograph Collection format gives the property more design flexibility than a full Marriott or Westin badge would.
The mid-range Snowmass option — outdoor pool, hot tub, gym, sauna, and meeting rooms for smaller groups. Free area shuttle and 24-hour front desk. Less ambitious than the Viceroy or Limelight but priced well below them, and a reliable stay for travelers who want a fair-value Snowmass base.
Ski-in/ski-out condos with an outdoor pool and gym. Free parking — a small but real win in a village where most hotels charge $30–60 per night for parking. Free area shuttle. Best suited for groups and families who want their own kitchen and living space without the price of the Viceroy or Limelight residences.
One-, two-, and three-bedroom villas with panoramic views of Snowmass Mountain and Mt. Daly. The unusual draw: as a Villa renter, guests get exclusive access to the private Snowmass Club — 19,000 square feet with a full-service spa, four pools, hot tubs, saunas, tennis courts, complimentary fitness classes, and the club's own championship mountain golf course on a traditional links layout.
Free parking, free airport shuttle on request, three outdoor pools at the property itself, and a children's pool. The kind of stay that works well for an extended summer trip.